Not that one, the index finger you might use to gauge which way the NBA lockout winds are blowing. Let us save you the trouble. They’re blowing cold right now. That’s right, ice-cold is the read we’ve gotten on the owners’ 72-game season proposal delivered late Thursday night.

All of the early indications suggest that the players are not interested in accepting the “revised” proposal, the one with the 50-50 BRI split but with many of those pesky “system” issues still a problem for union executive director Billy Hunter, union president Derek Fisher and the men they represent.

The flood of instant reaction, even before the player reps from all 30 teams could make it to New York for Monday’s scheduled meeting with union brass to review the proposal, has been resounding. (That dream Dec. 15 opening night TNT double-header featuring the Heat-Knicks and Lakers-Mavs will vanish if the players punt on this latest proposal).

Once NBA players digest all the details of the owners’ new contract proposal — including a clause that opens a way for more player demotions to the D-League — it’s hard to imagine even those desperate to play would be willing to ratify it, sources told Bucher.

The D-League clause, which previously had not been disclosed, is one of several elements in the owners’ proposal to the locked-out players that prompted one agent to describe the proposal as “draconian.”

The clause would give teams the right to send a player down to the NBA Development League at any time during his first five years, paying him a reduced contract while he’s there, a source who has examined the proposal told Bucher.

Any player sent down to the D-League would be paid at a pro-rated scale of $75,000 a season, which is slightly above the current D-League maximum but roughly one-sixth of the NBA minimum, the source said.

The owners’ new proposal also would prohibit luxury tax-paying teams from sign-and-trade deals after a two-year “phase-in” period, according to sources.

Non-tax-paying teams also would be prohibited from using the mid-level exception if doing so would take them over the salary cap, sources said.

“They don’t want to do a deal,” one agent said of the owners’ proposals. “And what they’ve underestimated is the resolve of the players.”

The players were sounding their own alarms (via Twitter and elsewhere) throughout the day Friday, as details of the proposal no doubt trickled their way. And they were just as emphatic in their dismissal of any deal deemed unworthy being something they would accept just for the sake of guaranteeing that Dec. 15 start to the season.

— “From what I’ve seen and heard, the counter offer is the same they presented us a week ago, making a few minor changes that in the big scheme of things that really did nothing to the deal,” Pacers player rep Danny Granger told Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star. “I would expect that proposal to be rejected after all the players learn more about the deal. The next step I don’t know.”

From current NBA player: “We all want to play, but we’re tryin to let young guys know we’re fighting for future. So they’re holding strong.”

***

—CBSSports.com‘s Ken Berger highlights the closing of the ranks by agents in opposition to the proposal and in favor of decertification, that dreaded word that could be on the tips of many tongues by late Monday:

According to multiple people involved in the process, the number of agencies involved in the movement to decertify the union — in response to the one-sided collective bargaining agreement that always was going to come of it — began to quickly multiply Friday. Moderate agents who had long opposed decertification or remained neutral were suddenly climbing aboard like stowaways on a runaway train. Two of the agents involved said nearly 200 signatures had been collected on decertification cards by Friday morning and that about half the union would ultimately be involved.

It was a stunningly swift show of solidarity in barely 48 hours of the agent-driven signature drive, a potential death knell for the revised proposal [NBA Commissioner David] Stern delivered Thursday night, complete with another ultimatum: Accept it, get ready for a 72-game season, or brace yourselves for the hellfire to come.

“This isn’t gonna fly,” one of the formerly moderate agents said Friday, “even if I told my guys to vote for it.”

***

***

—ESPN.com’s Marc Stein tweeted: Ominous warning from source on players’ side expecting NBA offer to be rejected: “Nothing was addressed. It’s same offer as it was before.”

***

What would make the players so sure that this latest proposal is so unacceptable if they haven’t even met to review it yet? There are plenty of rumors circulating about what is included in the proposal (everything from offseason drug testing to the raising of the age-limit from 19 to 20 has been discussed). The league office went on the offensive Friday, using the aforementioned labor twitter feed (@NBA_Labor), to fight the negative power with some details of their own:

More mid-levels than 2005 CBA: $5M for non-taxpayers, $3M for taxpayers, $2.5M for room teams

More cap exceptions for teams who are not taxpayers…

Projected tax level ranges from $70M-$85M over next 6 years; more than enough money to keep teams together

Ability to stretch waived player’s salary frees up more money for teams to spend on FAs

Players retain full Bird rights

Repeat tax rates apply only when team is taxpayer 4 out of 5 yrs (not 3 out of 5)

***

— Mavericks guard Jason Terry conveyed the sentiments of many players best in a radio interview Friday morning in Dallas, telling the “Ben and Skin Show”:

“For us to take a bad deal at this point, as players, would be not good for the game of basketball and it won’t be good for the players going on into the future … In life and society there are three classes: There’s the upper class, the middle class and lower class. And what the owners are trying to do right now, what their proposal is, get rid of the middle class so you have one or two guys on each team making ‘X’ and the rest of the guys crunched down at a smaller number and then no middle ground.”

***

— Another factor to consider before we get to Monday’s (or Tuesday’s, depending on when the player reps meet) showdown, is the growing number of players that appear to be upset with the union leadership and their handling of things from the start. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has been over this story for months and in the immediate aftermath of Thursday night’s proposal being delivered, he relayed some of those player concerns via twitter:

NBPA player rep on union leadership: “Why do they keep scrambling us to New York for these meetings when they never listen to us?”

Player rep (cont.): “We told them not to go past 53 percent. They did. We told them we’re not taking this deal. Why waste our time?”

Another veteran role player texts: “How quickly does Billy (Hunter) get fired after we sign this bull—-?”

Who knows where players heads will be by Monday, but there’s a lot of frustration and anger with union leadership tonight.

Here’s a player reps’ belief: If Hunter presents proposal to membership as harshly as he did to team reps Tuesday, it gets rejected.

173 Comments

At first I was agreeing with the players but then I started changing my way of thinking from fan to owner. If I owned a business there’s no way the people that work for me are making over 50% of the income unless the business is doing extremely well. The players need to get over the fact that they are the one’s generating the money and really look at the position they’re in. I guarantee that if the players choose to decertify they’re gonna end up with the 47% deal and they’re gonna regret missing a season. On top of that the players are acting like the system issues are the worst that it could be. Watch them get worse if they don’t accept the deal. And on top of that I think the players are forgetting the life they use to live before they got to the NBA. They need to remember quickly and humble themselves. If the NBA players don’t want a deal call David Stern and tell him my friends and I will gladly play for the NBA for 6 figures on one year contracts. I see many fans talking about how the deal isn’t fair….wait hol up since when are a business owner and workers equal to begin with? IT’S A BUSINESS IT’S NOT SUPPOSE TO BE FAIR! If you make an investment in something and make a bad deal somewhere down the road what do you do? You fix it.

The Nba IS NOT the average business because if it was those teams that are struggling would either be bailed out by an idiotic federal gov’t or be allowed to die a slow painful death. That is what it is to run a business. The success or failure is up to the people running it. If you have to lay a few people off, then do it but don’t try to come up with a system that takes away all the risk from the “business.” Draft you some good talent and build your team. Watch the fair weather fans roll in to cheer you on as you start making the playoffs and suddenly you are one of those tax-paying teams you used to knock on for doing everything in their power to keep winning. Either way let’s get this season started now and see how well this new system helps terrible teams with terrible management. If the Timberwolves, Raptors, Hornets, Clippers, Kings or any other terrible team doesn’t win a Championship within the next 5-10 years, everyone will know how much of a joke this whole charade was. Time will ultimately tell. By that time no one will even be watching anymore. Ever know someone with a lot of money who wasn’t trying to make even more?? Stop the charades and let’s get it!!!

Players dont own the NBA they are a part of it! like any business if your overly paid and the business is losing and a owner cant afford your payment there are 3 choices bankrupcipy, you leave looking for better payment and the owerns sings someone who would the same or more for less money, or you accept working for less money so the business wont bankrup, the nba is a 3 part system owners that give facilitys, conditions, staff, and promote the event, the players that are the product and the fans that are the consumers if one of this part is missing there is no NBA so for that i totaly disagree with all TNT panel aka ex-players. players should worried about less how the business is run, their job is to preform, yes they will reciebe a bit less but they steal will recieve millions. so their focus should be on their conditions if they have healt insurence, payment for retired players etc, why are they worried about how owners run their business? if is not about the money accet the deal!

Competitive balance…Superstars joining forces. ..The owners and a lot of fans say that it is not right because we have few teams fighting for the championship and the others cannot follow the path. Just think of this. Is this the first time that superstars play on the same team in order to reach the top? The 80’s Celtics had three superstars: Bird, Mchale, Parish. The same goes to the 80’s Lakers team:Magic, Kareem, Worthy. What about the bulls: MJ, Pippen, Rodman. And don’t forget the Houston Rockets. Barkley joined forces with Hakeem and Clyde (and later Pip) in his search for the ring. The Knicks added Houston, Larry Johnson and Spree in Ewing’s side on their attempt of winning it all. Nobody was mentioning competitive balance during that era. It was one of the most successfull nba periods of all time. Superstars always join forces. No one can reach the top on his own. The same thing is happening now but on different teams. The Celtics weren’t a championship caliber since 2008 and they won’t be when the big three will retire. So,the real solution for the owners is this: hire gm’s who can recognize the real talent and presidents who will not overpay overrated players and you will gain profit.

I’m confused 50% of multi-millions is still millions 57%, 50% or 43% both sides are still making more than 95% of this country can make in a lifetime. Now here’s a thought. 45% to the players, 45% to the owners and 10% to the local communities and charites that help supports both of the parties.

Well, I tell you I don’t want to see anymore “NBA Cares” commercials, because it’s obvious the Owners don’t Care. I’m taking a break from school and want to spend time relaxing and watching the NBA. Owners are “desperately” greedy. It’s really Ashame! If I were the players I wouldn’t have agreed past BRI at 52-48. I mean NO ONE wants a cut in their pay. I know fans say these guys make money, but I’m sure someone is saying that about YOU, but you don’t want to see your pay slashed. Let’s be fair here. I would just go ahead and decertify. Since, the Owners are bullying, then I’d just go overseas where I’m appreciated. “I’d take my Talents to Euro”. I had High regard for Mr. Stern in the past, but him and the Owners are greedy and not thinking of fans or players. It’s a Business, and you forget Owners who the “Talent” of your franchises. I don’t think fans are going to come out for a bunch of no namers. So, you will lose too. Good Day tomorrow, because Everyone loses NOW!

Tony, don’t minimize owners’ efforts either. Being the owner of an nba franchise is a 24/7 type of job and a bigger responsibility than it sounds like you are imagining. And keep this in mind: no owner = no franchise = no nba = no superstar player. If there is no nba, those players would just be showing off on their neighborhood playground, after an 8 hour shift at some $8/hour type of job.

When everybody else is struggling in an economic downturn and the players are crying over the fact that they’re gonna make 9.3 miliions/year instead of 10 millions, I’m sorry, I can’t take it seriously.

Also, the famous corporate america greed is not something new, it has always been there, and Coca-Cola wouldn’t be what it is without greed.

Now I’m asking you the question: if I am offering you a $9.3 million/year contract, but I am also telling you that if you are asking for 10 millions I am locking you out and you can’t play. What’s your answer, knowing that the accountant you are will most likely never make half of what those players make?

No doubt everyone goes into business in order to make money. But there are rules governing how one makes money as in tax laws. There are also rules governing employer/employee relationships which is at the heart of this conflict. Back in 1999 when the two sides agreed to the current CBA split of 57/43 the business was making about $2B. Last year the business made $4.3B under the same 57/43 split. It means that the league made about twice on that same 43% split and yet they complain that they lost $300M. Most of their variable cost is included in the 57% players’ compensation which by the way was more than they needed to cover players’ compenation. So they did not even use up the whole 57% on players’ compensation. My guess is that they saw that and felt ‘if only if I can get my filthy paws on that extra cash.’ The 100% growth in their 43% split should be sufficient to take care of any increase in the operational fixed and variable cost of running the business. Many people have been talking about mediocre players being paid too much but that is irrelevant since the combined players’ payroll was less than the 57% allocated in 2011. That is why the players have been willing to move from that 57% which they did in stages to the point where it is at 50% if they can get some freedon to choose where they wish to work. A system which makes someone unable to sell their skills will eventually encourage them to care less about developing that skill thereby creating a league of mediocrity where people will care little about the game and eventually making that $4.3B. record of 2011 the record.

So Jason Terry believes “For us to take a bad deal at this point, as players, would be not good for the game of basketball…” Talk about epically deluded. This game will survive long after this current hoops generation falls on its gilded sword. Sure, we pay to see the players, not the owners play. I also pay to listen to an artist, not a record company when I buy music, yet the record company gets a way bigger slice of sales than the artists themselves.

Last year during the Heat/Celtics playoffs, Rondo dislocated his elbow causing him to be taken out of the game. His team began to trail in the game but he came back with a strangely wrapped elbow and played one handed and lead his team to a victory. Wade played through the finals with an injured back and Nowitzki played the finals with a broken finger and went on to earn the finals MVP award. These are not isolated cases but are more the norm than the exception. How many of us miss work if we have more than the common cold. How many executives go to work if they have more than the common cold. Don’t minimize athletes’ efforts unless you are prepared to have yours judged. I am completely on the players’ side here. I am an accountant and am fully aware of where the owners are going with their claims. Has more to do with greed than financial performance.

TONY…unfortunately some here are blind or maybe paid by owners to come with non sense comments. Of course owners are the greedy ones here. That B.S about every team been able to compete is science fiction…or why do they have a proposal with more flexibility on system issues?…
The League is killing the basketball, is letting down thousands employees and their families,

what? omg. are you kidding. i’m guessing the players know about as much about business as you seem to, and this whole thing will have to go down the drain and start over again with people who are more in touch with reality. picture this, businesses exist to make money! that’s is! that’s the all! and they owe the players nothing! they pay players because it’s good business! not because it’s FAIR! the owners made a very bad deal for themselves and now they intend to fix it so that the league is a good investment going forward. the players haven’t “given back” anything! they were getting paid way too much. they were pushing their weight around way too much! now the owners are going to bring it back to a business that makes sense… to business people! not to players! you don’t think basketball is worth playing unless you can make 18 Million dollars a year? really! are you crazy! you dont’ think even the greatest player in the world would be glad to play for a measly $17 million dollars a year if that was all he could get? you think he’d rather do something else instead? this is NUTS! NUTS! NUTS! the players are just doing what their agents are telling them to do so that they can make more MONEY! this is about nothing but who can MAKE MORE MONEY! THAT’S ALL! This is not about what’s fair. I’m sick of hearing people talk about what’s fair! IT IS GARBAGE!
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
A business person who loves watching the NBA and has watched it since the days of Wilt Chamberlin and Bill Russell.

Plain and simple, the owners are trying to implant the kind of greed that has become a cancer in the rest of corporate America. Hopefully they don’t get the chance to do so. No one goes to the game to see owners play and to turn the NBA into a socialist run organization would stifle competetiveness by players thereby turning them into non-achieving athletes. Now how many of you on the owners’ side are committed to go see those kinds of games.

I really never got to see a hint of cleverness on Fisher’s face. I think this guy is dumb, so are all the other players. If Stern is right, it means that the players are not able to actually understand the offer on their own. Which means that it is an endless fight for the owners, because even if the players would get 100% of BRI, they would still need to talk to their agents…

I was also surprised that Fisher was the president of the union. To be honest I don’t see any player that’s smart enough to handle the position. Except for Ray Allen maybe, or Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki could maybe bring his European non-greed to the table, might help.

As much as I want a season this year, I will support the players if they choose to decertify. I’m not saying that the players aren’t already making a montserous amount of money; but I think that what the owners are doing during these negotiations cannot even be called negotiations. All I hear is what the players are compromising and giving back, they are actually trying to make this work. All the owners have been doing is saying this compromise by the players isn’t good enough or that isn’t good enough. I mean at some point you just have to stop with the compromising and tell the owners to shove it. In my opinion, “negotiations” were literally only a formality from the owners point of view. I don’t believe they were ever going to agree to anything that the Union wanted, I believe that the owners from the start weren’t going to budge from their original goals, this isn’t negotiating, this is just barbaric. I hope the owners will finally give something to the players or at least compromise a little. If not I hope the courts do them over badly.

GBABH …I agree with you,and what people don’t want to understand is that owners have not showed a fear proposal, they are not negotiating in good faith,players have sacrified a lot so far, but nothing appears to be ENOUGH for them. It is like a joke, I used to respect Stern figure until he became part of this ridiculous circus. I hope they both fin a way to end this lockout. I hope Mr Stern reads this blogs every day and realize the caliber of the damage the league has done by not flexing just a LITTLE in the system issues after their 50/50 split been accepted by the players. The NBA League is oppening an irreparable wound between players and owners. Reggie Miller was right when he said ” It is now becoming personal”.

Vlad(Canada).. you are wrong….no many professions in USA give the employees the option to be used as a PRODUCT to make money. Dont you undersatnd what BRI means?…Dont you realize that owners make millions out of TV contracts showing players instead of owners?….go to sportsauthority and tell me if you see a shirt of David Stern, Peter Holt, Paul Allen or even Michael Jordan?….thats BRI my friend….you show your 7 feet/250 weight lean body to make money for the FAT, LAZY, NOT GOOD LOOKNG GREEDY OWNERS, this is America,LA YUMA PAPA, you want me to work, you pay me. ENVY against players is what is showed here by many fans…accept it,eat it….players deserve it

That the player should earn a greater part of the money, I agree with that. And they do, they earned 100% of the profit in the last CBA + 300 000 000$ in the last year. In the new CBA if I understand that correctly they would earn almost 100% of the profit, and they want more. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is greedy.
an eropean fan

for the players think about this:where will you be without the league?and will there be even a league without the owners?Don’t be mistaken that you own the league which in fact the league owns you.And also remember this:the league(that means your careers)is the thing which is in jeopardy here not the owners money

The funny thing is that the longer the owners and players wait to agree on a deal, the more non-diehard fans are going to turn away from the game, which results in less tickets sold and less BRI for the players and owners to split. If the NBA takes a year or two to figure all of this out, as speculations have suggested, fans will find a way to fill their time with things not basketball. Everyone is losing from this situation.
On a side note, the NBA has been going south anyways thanks to Lebron/Bosh/Melo type players who are trying to create these “super teams”. Basketball is going to become irrelevant to any team that is not Miami/Boston/LA Lakers/New York. The more that teams keep stacking the talent, the less fans that aren’t affiliated with those markets are going to stop caring. I understand the desire to win, but it needs to stay all-around competitive for the league’s sake.
I am disgusted with the league right now and I will probably never go to another game again.

You miss a lot, and under-value some important issues, and have no idea about how the owners make money. Before the rest – the players need to get off this BRI train. That is ONLY for thos players who are included in NBA commericals, sell a ton of merch, and get included as a super-star for video games into the future. For someone like Kris Humpfry, no one buys his kersey, no one add him to the fantasy team, and no one wants him on his great EA Sports team. 50/50 is a HUGE win already. Look Derek Fisher, you have a very average shot, your1.5 steps slower than all other points, and we pray you don’t shoot- EVER. 50% profit share fro the company that made your name worth anything is incredible. You’ve been kept around because they can’t dump you, and it help rivalries stay calm, because you are the peace-make.

Owners – YOu have got to be kidding yourselves that anyone could be sent to the D league and be paid on their scale. Lets ask POJ carlisimo how he would have dealt with CHris Webber. Oh – He woulld have benched him on the d Leage team – proble solved for carlisimo. That single policy would get used and abused daily. Overbearing owners would use, coaches would use it, and any team owner/coah pissed that their scorer last year averaged 23, and this year is in the tank at 21 would use it for 1 game to say – look what I can do if you don’t start making shots. That is RIDICULOUS. It’s like wall street hedge fund managers able to buy out members yesterday, as the fund goes upo 10% the next. But – It would be great for chokers like leBron – D-league until you learn what I learned at 7. Basic Basketball skills. Ball-Man-Vision.

But really Mike, the owners make so much money from selling parking spaces for $10-20, beer for $8, you’d be amazed that all that stuff adds up to the 2nd biggest revenue source behind TV. Ticket sales are probably 3rd or 4th.

Both sides are scumbags. Players- Just wait for NBA 2013. Instead of Derek Fisher, they’ll have Derrick Fischer, and he will play for the Los Angeles LakeWhores.

Ditch the joke D league thing, accept 50/50, sign and play. ANd fisher – retire. You are crap. MJ could smoke you today i his golf shoes with no warm-up. There’s plenty of highschool kids ready to take your place, and since you are gunnig hard for NO offseason testing, you could get them all beefed up just like you did. One summer, 3 straight cycles, a cancer baby, and roids.

I will agree with a fan who wrote that NBA cannot be compared to a regular company. We should not bring our own economical problems to this lockout and make a judge depending on them. We have to be unbiased observsers. no one pays to see the owners play. Players bring money to the franchise. Players make us buy teams’ merchandise. And we, us fans, must decide what we want. We are speaking about competitive balance. But, the numbers are not on our side. Check the tv attendance the 2003 and 2005 Nba finals had and compare tem with 2011, 2010 and 2008. The conclusion is that we want to see big markets. When the Spurs dominated the league most fans were characterising them as boring. When the Celtics, the Lakers or the Heat fight for the championship, we follow them on TV. The same happened during the 90’s with the Bulls. Great players bring money, not the owners. And the ones who are saying that they “only play basketball”, get a ball and try to compete on this high level in order to understand if it is easy or not.

EXACTLY!!! Everyone wants basketball at the expense of a fair system that allows freedom and common sense. Owners want a risk free system added to the game. Risk is what business is about!!! Why would the NBA be any different. You buy a struggling basketball franchise for 280 million on “credit” when you know they only bringing in about 100 million before salaries. It seems the idea of meeting halfway doesn’t apply when you hold all the chips (owners). I get it… I do. Owners have the right because they are the boss and they own stuff. I get it… but I like to deal with right and wrong. Capitalists… ugh. College basketball ftw.

To those of you suggesting the correctness/appropriateness of the D-League clause, would you accept a job that comes with the clause thatyour employer could reduce your salary and or benefits whenever and by a system they have arbitrarily set? Some of those players could be at the end of the bench simply due to coming back from injury or not a favorite of the coach or any suchreasons. Why did they sign a Freshman from college for that amount of money, expecting that he would be in your rotation? So you go aheaad and accept a job with a conttract that says we could reduce your salary and benefits by as much as 80%.

Why are people blaming the players? it’s clearly the owners who’s keeping this lockout going..the players have given more than enough back..in revenue split and the owners still aren’t satisfied..from the sound of it , it sounds like the owners aren’t giving anything..or trying to meet the players half way on any issue, their basically trying to bully them into signing a proposal that favors them..all I hear after every meeting between the two is what the players have agreed to and what the players have given back and how the owners aren’t happy with this or that..I hate to say this but maybe they should do desertification,,,that seems like the only way they’ll gain a little leverage because right now it’s like they’re being looked down upon as insignificant employees who should be happy to get anything so david stern and the owners keep throwing out these ridiculous proposals and giving them a ultimatum if they don’t agree to it..believe it or not the NBA is a partnership and the players deserves a fair deal.

I think you should read up on what would happen if they decertify, its not in their best interest at all. Not only do they miss a whole years pay, there is no guarantee that the fed judge would favour them. The argument that owners have is valid ( that 22 of 30 teams are losing money) and if they can provide proof to the judge what are the players going to counter with? yeah well we are the ones that play the game? yeah thats why u get payed millions like Joe Johnson who is getting payed almost 120 million over 6 years. I have heard through out this whole wall that its the owners decision to own the team. But the same thing can be said about the players, they were not asked by the owners to play basketball or choose to become profesional athletes. They did it to make money jsut like the owners bought the teams to make money.

PLAYERS SHOULD BE MADE TO WORK FOR PEANUTS AND GET SHAFTED WHEN THEY ASK FOR MORE
BY THE OWNERS!I WOULD RATHER WATCH A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME OR A COLLEGE GAME
(OR EVEN PLAY THE GAME BECAUSE I ENJOY IT, MONEY BE DAMNED). THAT IS WHAT MORE FANS
WHO ARE FED UP WITH THE BICKERING FROM BOTH SIDES SHOULD DO!

U know what I just realized, among all the other things this lockout is causing. What about the 2011 draft. Poor guys won’t see a game. And then what happens next year? Do they do another draft or delay it one year? Weird to think about.

If this season, tanks everything will be messed up. Will this year still count against contracts because D. Rose and D. Howard are supposed to be free agents next season. Chris Paul as well (I think). Thats adding to the free agents we already have for this season. Maybe the owners will do something bold like just fill the teams with fresh college kids who just want to play and pay them 100 Gs a year. Then the WNBA will be the hottest ticket in town lol. Go Dream!!!

I hope the players take the deal because I love basketball BUT I will support their decision to decertify and get what they think is fair because they sacrifice their bodies and a large part of their lives to entertain me. I play once a week and I ache all the way until the next game. And thats A grade “social” basketball. If the fans were supporting the players then the owners would offer a better deal but they know the “fans” are putting extra heat on the players.

Other posting here think that NBA and any business regular or multi-million are of different league,well it isn’t.. Wether you like it or not OWNERS are EMPLOYERS and PLAYERS are EMPLOYEES, it is set to be as it is.(if you don’t like it have you own business and tell me you don’t tell you employees you are the boss).

It’s only a matter of time,in a couple of days if the players decide to accept the offer then i am static for the players commitment not only to their own teams and staff but also to the workforce behind every arena and nearby small market whom are mostly dependent on any given basketball game day.

If the players don’t accept the latest deal on the table then surely desertification will be set,games will be lost or maybe the season. Come to think of if,i dare you to declare desertification on your own owners,lets see who will have it’s job back for the next opening. Players think of the long term?c’mon give me a break,your lucky enough you play to well for this game or you’d be bringing your application to mcdonalds (no disrespect,loved your burger) in time the lockout ends.

cancel d whole season stern. let d few whom can go overseas go d 99.9% will cry and comeback next near, oh and there are some good ballers in college right now that will take d new deal and will be happy to play.

The more I read about the lockout and the more I watch NBA TV, the more I see how much the NBA players don’t care about basketball. They are driven by money and personal gains.
I would take a pay cut from my current job just to have the opportunity to play/coach in the NBA.
NBA players, shame on you.

Try being an NBA player. Capitalism and democracy okayed haviing collective bargaining. A system where owers get 100% of the profit deserves people like you. That is called slavery! It ended many years ago. That is why your are not one and will not be allowed a pay cut. Go to your boss and ask them to cut your pay so that they could they could increase their profit to the near 100% you suggested.

Some of these NBA franchises won’t make it if the strike continues. With the economy and corporate budgets under pressure, I can tell you that Toronto for one won’t be selling 18,600 tickets every night as they used to. Could be the beginning of the end of a really good franchise. Hope not.

Some of you who are posting here like to compare a regular business to that of an NBA franchise. Its a complete hole other ball game guys, and whether you accept it or not, the players make the NBA what it is. no question about it.

This is sports we are talking about here people. Those who have the best ballers, make the most money. It’s how it is, and how it will always be. If I was an owner for example, and I had a chance to have a squad like the Heat do, or the Laker, Knicks, Mavs etc, etc, I would gladly give them 57% of BRI because at the end of the day, I will still make money with such great players on my roster, and these players are going to be my main money makers. It comes down to common sense.

For those teams that do not have superstars and can’t make money, they need to either replace their management, or sell the team just like Jordan stated in the previous lockout. The decisions made by such management is what can make or break a team. Sell the team, get new management, and get the team back on its feet by making the right decisions.

I do however agree that with today’s recession, and the fact that most teams are losing money, there should be a drop in BRI for the players, but even still, the players should get more. I think the 50/53 proposal Billy Hunter suggested would of been a good decent deal. If the league does not make a certain amount, only 50% will be payed to the players, but if the league grows and is more profitable, it is fair to say that 53% should be given to the players. Just my take on it and the reality behind all of this.

I follow the Orlando Magic, no matter what players are on the team. No player is bigger than the team. This is something that players need to understand. True, bandwagon supporters jump on the Miami Heats, LA Lakers etc. but to be a true fan means following your team through all times.

Why should players make more money at the expense of the owners LOSING money. 22 out of 30 teams lost money last season. What would happen if we had an 8 team league? The majority of players would have to go and get REAL JOBS.

Get over yourselves, you get paid to bounce a freaking ball. Children.

WITH TICKET PRICES STILL GOING NORTH WITH NO END IN SIGHT, HOW LOYAL WILL FANS BE THEN?
I PREFER HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE BASKETBALL. THEN WHEN THERE’S A WORK STOPPAGE IN THE NBA
THE GAME STILL CONTINUES! OR I CAN SHOOT A FEW BASKETS MYSELF! I’M A CASUAL FAN WHO CAN EASILY
WALK AWAY FROM ALL THIS NONSENSE! I COULDN’T CARE LESS IF PLAYERS’ CAREERS ARE SHORT!MAKE
THE PLAYERS WORK FOR PEANUTS OR GET JOBS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE!

How do you think fans BECAME casual fans? THEY GOT TIRED OF HAVING TO SHELL OUT
BIG BUCKS FOR THOSE INFLATED TICKETS ONLY TO FIND THE PLAYERS BECOMING MORE AND MORE GREEDY
EVERY YEAR!WHEN THE PRICE OF TICKETS HEADS NORTH PEOPLE WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TICKETS! THE
OWNERS SHOULD SHAFT AND UNDERPAY THE PLAYERS UNTIL ALL NBA ACTION IS IN EUROPE, ASIA OR
ELSEWHERE; JUST NOT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

What I see is a lot of greed. The NBA and it’s owners are in a business model in which they will charge everything they can get. Players are trying to make as much as they possibly can. The result is, I see very few families at games because they cannot afford the price of tickets. The youth of today don’t have the same interest in the game as there was 20 years ago and before. Just keep trying to milk the public of everything they can and see what happens in the future. If I cannot afford to take my kids to a game I cannot afford to go! It really is disgusting what I see going on between the owners and the players. I think the fans should have been included in the negotiations and deciding the deal for both sides!

Dream on, TS Young! A BOYCOTT BY THE FANS IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE BOTH SIDES SEE THAT THEY
ARE EQUALLY TO BLAME IN TAKING BASKETBALL AWAY FROM THE FANS! THE OWNERS SHOULD TELL THE
PLAYERS AND THEIR UNION:”YOU ARE NIOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THE BIG MONEY WHILE YOU CAN!
WE ARE THE BOSSES AND YOU ARE THE PEONS WHO WILL WORK FOR PEANUTS OR GET REAL JOBS IN THE
REAL WORLD LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! WE DON’T GIVE A DAMN IF YOUR CAREERS ARE SHORT!YOU WILL WORK
FOR PEANUTS OR NOT AT ALL!”

THEY STILL CAN, TS Young! THEY CAN POINT TWO FINGERS AT BOTH SIDES AND SAY “SAYONARA, LOSERS!”
THEN THEY CAN GO AWAY TO PATRONIZE SPORTS WHERE THERE IS STILL A GAME GOING ON!OR THEY
CAN PLAY SPORTS THEMSELVES! ONE THING I’M HOPING FANS WILL DO-PATRONIZE RESTAURANTS AND
SPORTS BARS THAT MAY B E IN NEED OF A MAJOR TRANSFUSION OF CASH WHILE NO NBA GAMES ARE
BEING PLAYED!DON’T FORGET THE ARENA EMPLOYEES WHO NEED FRIENDS ON THEIR SIDE TOO!

People here are going a little extreme. What people seem to be forgetting here is that when the players agreed to drop down the BRI split from 57% to 52%, that already gives owners way more than enough money than what they need to make sure that not only each team is no longer losing money, but is profitable as well. So I completely agree with Barkley in that it angers me that these owners are insulting the NBA players by trying to milk the people who make the league what it is. It’s clear that if they decided to try and get other people to play, barely any people would watch, every team would be losing money because nobody wants to pay big bucks to see poor level players play. The owners should stop their greed and just get on with it already. It’s clear there’s a serious lack of respect there on their behalf.

You and Charles Barkely are wrong. The players are very greed. No profession in USA gives employees the right to have 50/50 cut with the owners. This is a free world in which the owner dictates the market. Once again, “Charles Barkley should run for a president of North Korea or China (if they even have elections in these countries). Chuck is a true communist if he thinks players should get 50/50. Owners should have 100% profit. It’s their business and their league.”

1) The NBA Commissioner salary sholud be cut from $25 millions to $5 millions, with anual performance/competence evaluations.
2) Big market teams should share their profits with small market teams for a period of two (2) years after which period the owner will be forced to sell his franchise to a more “smart oss” owner.
3) Owners will not be allow to drink in public bars with players, have dinner or spend time in luxury yatchs with players and beautiful women as part of their previous relaxing time.
4) Owners will be forced to give 1% of their salary for employees of their arenas.
5) Medical Insurance with no deductible (PPO if possible) will be provide for ALL EMPLOYEES AND FAMILY.

This is so far my proposal, with no ultimatum, but if not accepted by the league, a more drastic and less flexible proposal will be implemented.

The only chance the players have of winning this is sucking it up and going to play overseas. At least they’ll be making money. If they go Europe and China and like-minded countries then the owners will see that the players really don’t need them and they do have other options. At this point it’s just a waiting game with the owner’s having a lot more money than the players therefore they will simply be able to wait longer.

THE FANS HAVE OPTIONS TOO!LIKE TURNING AWAY FROM ALL THIS RUBBISH AND PLAYING BASKETBALL
THEMSELVES, FOR THE SHEER ENJOYMENT OF IT!LIKE PATRONIZING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLERGE SPORTS
UNTIL THE PLAYERS AND OWNERS COME TO THEIR SENSES AND REALIZE THAT THE FANS CAN WALK AWAY
TOO!

Please get back to basketball. Accept the deal. You people are spoiled beyond reason. Heaven forbid most of you, who have no skills other than playing b-ball, have to go out and get a regular job. Where else in the world can you make the kind of money you do playing a game?!!! The owners are owners for a reason. They are your boss. The last time I checked, a boss makes the rules. My boss can offer me a raise every year and if I don’t like the raise, I can choose to do something else because of my skill set. I don’t make anywhere near millions of dollars a year and its a damn shame that most of these ballers are fighting with their bosses over a loss that would still leave them as millionaires!! I agree that if the players don’t take the deal, then maybe the comish should cancel the season and let these poor,underprivilidged, mistreated millionaires find employement elsewhere. Let them stand together for a good year and see if they don’t come asking for whatever deal they can get.

Wowwwwwww! You cant just make things better by pampering anyone especially when your the problem, we are not children. The Entertainment Business is a total wreck, and we “The People” should show them who’s the real boss by not supporting because we are the Lifeblood of entertainment and without the hard earned money we work for 5-6 days a week, they wont have anything to cry & fight about.

WHY don’t they just use old system, VOTE! screw the Union. Take which player that want to take a deal or not. Fisher is scared to use this option because he is close to retiring and want to get as much money as possible before that happens.

This is stupid. Players wants as much money as possible and so is the owner. They Blame the owner greedy unfair etc BUT IF They were in the Owner position (E.g Jordan) WILL THEY TAKE THE DEAL? Sigh. what can they do without the Owner after they retired or not playing basketball? I think the season should be canceled and let the player realize how lucky they are to get paid to do things that they like for a living far above average.

The players are going to talk tough about solidarity and then let their ignorance cut their own throat when they let their agents talk them into decertification. The owners are going to break these sniveling “gangsters” once and for all.

As soon as they disolve their union, their guaranteed contracts become “null and void” since there is no longer a union. Not just for this year, but for the full term of all contracts….
No more need to have an amnesty clause, all those players contracts will be gone, as will the hundreds of the bad contracts the owners have given these prima donas for years.

Once the majority of players realize that there is no other game in town, wheter that takes a month or a year, they’ll get down on their collective knees and beg the owners to give them any sort of deal just to get back to work.

The owners will then be able to start all over, rolling back contracts to a reasonable point where the business model will sustain itself for years to come……

I absolutely believe the players will reject this offer, decertify, and come to regret this for the rest of their lives.

This is getting beyond a joke. I’m coming from Australia for a holiday in December after saving for 2 years. I’m a devout NBA fan and I had picked two games to go to (Miami – OKC on the 23rd in Miami and Christmas Day at MSG with Knicks – Celts). I’m throwing my Australian dollars at NHL and College games now. It’s a shame really. Disappointed Aussie.

Imagine NBA players in the NBL like Patty Mills… Then the owners of NBL would be ecstatic!!!! How many stadiums would get packed out and then torn down and built bigger to accommodate the fan surge. LOL perspective is a funny thing. The NBL is what the NBA would look like without the superstar talent and excitement. The players would also have to take a major pay cut BUT when the fan surge adds up the pay checks would eventually balance out.

Let’s say they play you to play, but making millions isn’t enough of a paycheck? If these players think they’re all that, then why has the league’s shooting percentage and points per game, continuously been falling over the last few years?

I would like to know the BS you are referring to. Please explain
.
The only BS in these negotiations is the BS flowing freely out of the mouths of the agents and being absorbed by the uninformed players. That Kessler fellow-or what ever his name is – is a BS factory, running 24/7. I don’t trust that guy as far as I can throw him. Stern was right to call his actions ‘dispicable’.
.
I have not seen, not once, deception or misinformation from David Stern. He says it like it is, and because he is good at what he does, no he is the best at what he does – I remember Barkley saying that David Stern is the best commissioner in all of sports – because he is the best at what he does, peole seem to get the impression that he is cold hearted and calculating.
.
Please people, don’t let your em,otions clopud your judgement like the players are doing. The players are negotiating with ego, not with common sense. Common sense dictates that the league and the teams are losing money and this needs to be rectified. David Stern is rectifying this situation.

BOYCOTT – BOYCOTT – BOYCOTT!! We, basketball fans, should boycott at least the first 2 weeks of the next season (whenever it starts) to show our total disgust with all the parties involved. I promised myself not to attend a single game this or next year. It won’t be easy, but I’m not wiling to support those who don’t care about the welfare of those who support them, meaning the people who work in and around the arenas. Can you picture an owner or basketball player cleaning toilets, urinals, or shower stalls, sweeping floors, maintaining building, parking, and security, selling tickets, ushering, etc, etc, etc? How about officials and cheerleaders? Who wants to see Cuban or Garnett in a miniskirt? Maybe some. but not most.

There would be no games without owners, players AND those who earn minimal wage (or not too far from it). Everybody talks about being hurt by the lockout, but billionaires and millionaires don’t get hurt by it at all (don’t be fooled), the only ones hurting bad are the workers who support the industry (sometimes behind-the-scenes), and whose value is seldom acknowledged.

BOYCOTT – BOYCOTT – BOYCOTT

Every party is at fault here in one way or another, but I place more blame on the agents who only care about appearing useful when in fact are causing more problems to the players and the league than anybody else by giving terrible advice to the players, making them believe they are more important than anyone else.

Reggie wrote: “The players generate the money the owners spend to pay the expenses you listed. Ask Dan Gilbert what happened to his income when Lebron left.” True, but where did Lebron run to? Another owner.

I agree with Michael Gallucci when he writes: “What happens to Lebron if Dan Gilbert didn’t buy a franchise, build an arena, and gamble that he would make the profit necessary to pay Lebron.”

Jdeuce is right on: “The popularity and money generated by the NBA was created by the owners and the NBA, not the player !!! The player is only the temporary piece of the equation. They will be replaced by new pawns. Knowing this, the players should be more than satisfied to earn millions while they are active. The bulk of the revenue should go to those that have created this gem, the owners and advertisers.”

NBA Fan made another great point: “Like for the past 10 years (or whatever) the players have been getting 57% but surely they’re salary isn’t included in this 57%. So what entitles them to anything from this percentage. They agreed to a contract, to play for an owners team. So he is already being compensated for work, what entitles him to anything more.”

Nobody likes companies, or institutions that abuse their workers, but who can say the players are being abused by the NBA with the new contracts — only the agents who are misguiding the players and the union.

I can’t believe Laker Fan #1 when he states: “Unions have slowly destroyed the American worker.” Are unions perfect? Of course, not, but you are so badly misinformed that it’s not even funny. We all be working for minimum wage with no benefits if not for the unions. Please read about the role of unions in America’s history before commenting, Why do you think corporations and their allies (politicians) continue to destroy them? How do you think it was possible for the players to get 57% of BRI all these years in the first place? Who negotiated such lucrative deal? Kevin Garnett? Yeah, right! The owners are also responsible for allowing it and spoiling the players, though.

BOYCOTT IS WHAT THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE FANS IS CALLED WHETHER THEY ARE PROTESTING
A STRIKE BY THE PLAYERS OR A LOCKOUT BY THE OWNERS! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE FANS SHOULD
BE DOING! THE OWNERS SHOULD BE TELLING THE PLAYERS THAT THEY-THE OWNERS-ARE THE BOSSES
AND THE PLAYERS ARE PEONS AND WILL BE MADE TO WORK FOR PEANUTS OR GET JOBS LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE!

The D league clause is not in the most recent proposal that the NBA is offering. You can not believe everything some blogs saids and run with it. By the way if the players decertify the current contracts will be voided due to no Union! Do players like Joe Johnson and Rashad Lewis really think there next contract would look the same NOOOOOOOO

Players are very greedy!!! This is getting rediculous. I cannot believe the owners are actually giving players 50%. Owners should have whole 100%. It is their business and their league. Argument that Charles Barkley proposed the other day on NBA TV is nothing but utopian Communist-driven ambition. Only in communist countries the owners share 50/50 with their employees. In which profession in democratic USA do we have the owners split the profit 50/50 with their employees? I would like to see jenitors, constructions workers, and kids working in McDonalds getting 50% of the profit from their owners.
Yes, NBA players are the reason NBA is a multi-billion dollar industry, but that’s a gift that they eaqually enjoy. Morever, teachers are the reason kids learn in schools, but you don’t see a teacher getting a 50/50 cut from government’s budgets.
I cannot believe there are people that acctually support the players.
All of those greedy players should be put in a regular workfoce and make their money outside of bball. They have a gift and are paid millions of dollars to do what they should LOVE, but obviosly they don’t since they do not want to play.
Above all, there are millions of us around the world (who actually truly LOVE basketball) who do basketball for free (either volunteering as a coach or paying to play in men’s leagues) and who would take a pay-cut from their regular jobs just to have the opportunity to work in basketball. NBA players are greedy. Unfortunately, because I love bball so much, I will still watch, learn and study the NBA game, but at the moment I am very disappointed and offended with player’s attitude.

THERE SHOULD BE MANY MORE FANS PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS FOR THE SHEER ENJOYMENT OF
IT, ESPECIALLY DURING A PROLONGED LOCKOUT. LET US NOT FORGET THE PEOPLE WHO STAND
TO LOSE THEIR BUSINESSES OR BE THROWN OUT OF WORK BECAUSE NO NBA GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED!

There was a time where I absolutely idolised NBA players. I used to think that the Gods gathered at the beginning of time and made a mould of the perfect person, both athletically and morally. Always in touch with the fan of the game. Always doing their duty as a human being and giving back to the community via charities and performing community services in their spare time. I used to think that the NBA player was aware of the world they lived in and knew what was happening in the world around them.
It seems I was more delusional than these players. They don’t give a damn about the fans. Every time Mr Derek Fisher stands at that podium and starts to list the people whom are affected by this lockout, I know that every word he says is not worth the air into which it is uttered. Giving back to the community? This seems to be a pre-requisite of playing in the NBA, so you could hardly say that they WANT to do it. I have heard enough and been shown enough of these players to truly understand the extent of the greed for which they lust after. They expect the owners of their respective teams, their employers mind you, to sustain losses, year after year, because they think that they are entitled to more money. Why do these players act as if playing NBA basketball is a basic right entitled to them, such as a basic right to freedom?
.
This statement is to you NBA players – Playing NBA basketball is a privilege, a privilege most of us common folk here on Earth will never experience. Stop being Greedy and stop thinking that you are entitled to more, sign this deal, be grateful that you are in the position you are in and play basketball, so us common folk can hand you our ‘hard earned’ – a term which you probably do not understand – money to you.

I think they should make it 51-49, favorable to the players. Without the players there is no NBA. These guys have enough fame and fortune to run their own league if they wanted and maybe millions off holding expedition games now. These teams need players more than the players need them. If I was a gm, i would take a deal slightly favorable to the players because with them I’ll still make millions for the fans to watch their favortie guy to play. Yet I still think the players shouldnt have these 100 mill contracts. I think they should limit franchise players to 10 mil a year. then your other players a max of 4-6 a year, then the minimum can be around the 750k a year. if you think about it, these NBA players make millions off of just endorsements alone let alone their contract. they should have no excuse to have “financial security” making a million dollars a year is plenty to live off of. Players are just ignorant/greedy with money. Your their to play the sport you LOVE, not to worry who has the biggest contract.

It’ s an unfortunate situation for the players, with the deal that’s being offered but I believe that not taking this deal could end up 10 times worse for the players, take the deal or deal with the unknown.

I am so sorry, but by that logic, I should get more money than my CEO, as I work in Customer Service and bring in the customers, not them! How could that logic ever work in the non-sporting business world?

And I really hope Jordan now sees everything from the owners’ side and thinks “You know what? I was a real jerk back in 1998! I have ironically shot myself in the foot”. Don’t get me wrong, he is now an owner and deserves to turn a profit (which will never be a problem for Jordan because…well, he is Jordan).

Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley and shove it. Players might make the NBA popular and bring in the fans (probably won’t happen anymore now), but without owners to buy and sustain the teams, the players would have nowhere to play.

Charles Barkley should run for a president of North Korea or China (if they even have elections in these countries). Chuck is a true communist if he thinks players should get 50/50. Owners should have 100% profit. It’s their business and their league.

Let the NBA collapse this season and flush out the marginal teams and their greedy owners. Then there will be more good players available for fewer teams, which will upgrade the level of ball played.

However, if the owners want to keep the NBA alive, they should agree amongst themselves how to divvy up their incomes. Let the owners subsidize the weaker teams and not take it out on the backs of the players.

I have a better idea. How about we keep these marginal teams and give them the opportunity to grow and be competitive. I would hate to have a league which is made up of ten teams, because let’s be honest, there are only ten teams which are competitive.

plus to add to the comment above, i feel that fans like myself have been left in the dark by this dispute, strikes do happen in our world and one has the right to strike and protest against something they disagree on, however it is wrong to cancel something as a result of the strike. The season somehow has to be saved, but as a former VIU student, knowing that i nearly lost everything due to a month long strike know all to well the effects one can have on the person or parties involved. However this dispute is over wages and benefits, i know one thing, accept the deal and have a season or disappoint millions of fans worldwide and the NBA in general so what is is going to be, the players know what is at stake it is time for action accept the deal please

EXCEPT THAT IT IS THE PLAYERS ARE BEING LOCKED OUT BY THE OWNERS!THIS IS AQ LOCKOUT,
NOT A STRIKE! STILL I FAULT BOTH SIDES FOR CAUSING THIS DISRUPTION OF THE SEASON FOR
THE PEOPLE WHO CAN BREAK BOTH SIDES AT ONCE BY WALKING AWAY FOR KEEPS-THE FANS!
THE SUPPORT PEOPLE SHOULD JOIN WITH THE FANS IN A BOYCOTT OF THE NBA EVEN INTO
NEXT YEAR IF THE LOCKOUT CAUSES THE SEASON TO BE LOST!

Hello, I am deeply concerned for the fans sake that the season might be cancelled, i say to the players, a 72 game season is better than no season at all, As i said before 1 month ago, both sides are close to a deal, a deal was proposed all that is needed now is the other party being the players to accept the deal and move on. All this about money and salaires is not okay, you guys get paid millions to tens of millions a year, that is a lot of money, why need more, i again am disappointed as to the reality that the season could be decided this week. If all fails, no season in 2011-2012 which would be a huge blow to the league and fans who bought season tickets during the summer. what will the league do to recover a lost season, well in history the nhl lockout in 2004-2005 wiped out the season but the next year came back strong so maybe that is what is needed, but i hope that doesnt happen to the NBA. I want to watch basketball again and the NBA wants to settle this dispute, all that is needed are the players to accept the deal, it is not foreever. The players must take this offer for both the fans sake and the NBA’s sake. I myself am very confused as this dispute would have ended long ago if both sides would have come to an agreement. There would have been a 82 game season like always but didnt happen. This is what i recommend, look over the offer and accept it so business can get back to normal and the NBA can direct a season. Even though shortened, will still be a season, so players what do you say, it is time for this to end once and for all

don’t forget that playing basketball on a professional level it’s not always fun even if you truely love it.
players deal with all sort of health problems during the season.
try to run on a court with roled ankels, soaring knies and bruised fingers.
try to work on your body seven days a week.
I know they gain a lot but on the other hand you can’t underestimate how hard they work on themselves.
they are top world athletes for a reason, we shouldn’t forget about it.

ohhhh, boo hoo. Let’s see an NBA player work a nine-to-five job every day (weekdays) for 20 years. The people working these mundane jobs are the people we should feel sorry for. Not these overpaid brats that you said “work hard everyday” bouncing a ball and throwing through a hole high up in the air, because let’s face it, that’s all they do. I LOVE NBA BASKETBALL.

THE PLAYERS SHOULD BE UNDERPAID BY THE OWNERS AND TOLD TO “TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.”
IT IS THE FANS WHO SHOULD BE WATCHING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL DURING
THE TIME WHEN NO NBA GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED.AND THE FANS SHOULD CONSIDER BECOMING
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN SPORTS THEMSELVES.

Players need to accept the deal. It is very simple. 3% is nothing for a player whether they are making $500,000 or 5 million. For owners, it means whether or not they are making a profit or not as apparently they crunched the numbers. Then I hear people say if the owners want to make money they should sell the franchise (he will buy a franchise that loses money?), so that doesn’t work. In the end, the player’s greed is coming back to the fans or the employees. Owners need to adjust to make up for the money the lose to the players, hence either they need to raise ticket prices or need to cut expenses (read fire employees)…I am ready for them to cancel the whole season…I am so done with this.

But why should the owners have to operate at a loss? The players have even said ok, we want this much, we are giving you back this much of your loses. But they are still operating at a loss. This makes no financial sense. Michael Jordan is now an owner so he is seeing both sides of the coin, guess what, he is on the side of the owners. He does not want to lose money every year just so the players can get richer. My god, it would take me 20 lifetimes to make 1/2 of what Kobe makes in a year. The players are just a bunch of overpaid whiners. There should be a rookie minimum of say $100K per year. Every year they get a $50K increase in salary. This is for all players. Superstar or bench warmer. Where the players can make their real money is performance incentives. Contracts are only for length of time and performance incentives. you don’t meet the performance incentives, guess what, no extra money. Would really provide a financial incentive for players to really perform on the court.

Yes, some teams are profitable. But as a whole the league and owners are losing money. The lockout is only making all the support people go on unemployment. And that sucks. How about these uber rich players pay the salaries of all these people they are making go on unemployment because they are greedy. STOP BEING SO SELFISH!!!!!!!!

Now forgive me if this is totally along the wrong path but I don’t fully understand BRI, seriously what is it? Like for the past 10 years (or whatever) the players have been getting 57% but surely they’re salary isn’t included in this 57%. So what entitles them to anything from this percentage. They agreed to a contract, to play for an owners team. So he is already being compensated for work, what entitles him to anything more. Take Joe Johnson, for instance, he getting paid 119 mil over the next 6 years, so does that mean that he’s getting his salary AS WELL as a percentage of the 57%? Like how exactly does this 57% percent get divided up, does it go evenly to rookies as well as veterans, does it go towards paying the union execs, would a superstar & an 11th or 12th man get an equal split… etc. Where does the money actually go? I’m just intrigued as to why the players are given a split of BRI when rightfully, it is the owners money.

I did not know this eaither…I am very offended with players’ attitude. The only reason I am still watching NBA players is because (unlike the players) I actually LOVE bball and they are a huge part of it. However, that does not give them a permision to disrespect the game and people who actually care about it. 57% is terrible. I am truly offended. I know thousands of people in Canada who pay money to play basketball. These greedy players are being paid to play it and they are complaining. Truly disapointing.

Unions have slowly destroyed the American worker. Whether he/she be a unionized factory worker, or unionized professional player, they have collectively weakened our nation through “collective bargaining” or other manipulations. Look at the UAW, who have basically shipped our car-building to Mexico and China. Now, basketball will never be shipped to Mexico or China, but the players have to realize they are weakening their image and business. Concessions have to be made. They should have started this bargaining back in June, not now. A majority of the players need to be playing. Some do not. Players like LeBron and Kobe do not have to “work” another day in their lives (if they have invested wisely) and more than likely their children will not either. Lets consider breaking the Players Union, having one representative body consisting of non-basketball players, and let the individual agents work out the individual players contracts on a per team/per player agreement. Unions were a great idea when the government did not protect the worker. But in the case of the Players Union, the difference between making 2 million/year and 20 million/year in this economy appears trivial at best, and greedy at worst.

As much as I’ll miss the NBA I’m looking forward to seeing how NBA players will do in Europe if they, hopefully, come to play here. They will come up with a deal eventually and we’ll see plenty of NBA in the future, but if the lockout prolongs and the best players in the world come to Europe, we’re gonna have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see them in our backyard…

The players are greedy. The only reason they are moving to Europe is more money opportunity. They actually don’t care about the game. I was in Europe when Dominique Wilkins signed with Panatenaikos and he put absolutely no effort into his game. NBA players are nothing but greedy, money driven, athltetes who have no respect for the game.

SO LET THE PLAYERS GO TO EUROPE! THE OWNERS SHOULD MAKE THE PLAYERS WORK
FOR PEANUTS AND ACT LIKE SLAVE DRIVERS OR TYRANTS!LET THE MAILED FIST OF
TYRANNY BE ALWAYS AGAINST THE PLAYERS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PLAYERS ARE 100%
OF THE SHOW!THAT SHOULD PUT A PERMANENT STOP TO THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT
HOW MUCH MONEY THE PLAYERS ARE MAKING!

Think about this in the big picture. The popularity and money generated by the NBA was created by the owners and the NBA, not the player !!! The player is only the temporary piece of the equation. They will be replaced by new pawns. Knowing this, the players should be more than satisfied to earn millions while they are active. The bulk of the revenue should go to those that have created this gem, the owners and advertisers. The players are only filling the artificial hero shoes for now, but they will be gone in a short time, only to be replaced by new “heros” that advertisers can pump us up with. They are only playing a game ….. a game !!!! It’s the advertisers and league that make them larger than life. They are not larger than life !!
Pay them well, but don’t pay them for what they have not created. Pay the bulk to those that truely created !!

Thats like saying movie producers, writers, directors, and effects people are the real stars and the actors are just pawns that people kinda go see for the entertainment but can easily be replaced by another pawn… Tell the Cavaliers that. I wonder pawn they got to replace lebron. How many seats are filled now…. Pawns huh… Funny as. Real fans will support the real stars BUT it would be better for both sides to play nice. I love what the owners do for the game. They bring heaps of excitement and sell heaps of tickets… if you ask me the owners are the pawns… the change and no one really cares. I don’t even know their names or what they look like. It’s easier to replace 32 owners than 400 top athletes. Owner=pawn.

hmmmm who put the seats there to begin with? who pays the athletes to play in the arenas? why dont you the lebrons and kobe’s go play in the concrete outside and pay for their own planes to fly them to play across the country. Those are some great “Pawns” you are refering to. Players would be nothing if it was not for the nameless owners that took a chance on them on draft day… players like greg oden who have played all of 82 games in his whole career… obviously your money is not at stake therfore please dont put your self in their shoes

Lets get a few things straight , This “revised” offer is absolutely what owners wanted and if the players take it that would mean the owners win the bargain… The owners are buisnessmen , and not just any buisnessmen they are the best buisnessmen out there. When they make a buisness bargain against a bunch of players that doesn’t know anything about buisness , just to play basketball , its obvious that there are two options , either the owners win or the whole leauge goes down. Its all up to the players right now , either accept defeat and let the owners get what they wanted or make a pointless stand and flush the leauge down the toilet which is what they are going to do in my opinion. Even though I’m a huge NBA fan I’m not sad because I did not like the way basketball was being played in NBA last 3-4 years . With the refrees and the new rules that builds walls around refrees… It was like sissyball.

I agree. Basketball was getting almost pointless to watch up until playoffs. So many boring regular season games that weren’t even close to interesting until the last 3 minutes of the fourth quarter. That is just my opinion though. I will support the players who can relate to over a bunch of billionaires trying to squeeze out as much money as they can get from the players. If they tank the season someone else will benefit. Thats life. The NFL, college basketball, or even soccer could get a revenue boost and then the players will realize how lucky they are to make 6 figures for playing a sport. And then hopefully the owners will be a lil more reasonable as well. Every business owner is expected to treat their employees fair and reasonable. It’s sad owners are trying to force players into being stuck on non-winning teams. Restricting player movement is the main goal of the owners this CBA. It was said by a sports analyst and I totally agree. Lebron, Carmello, and other stars have been able to hold teams/owners hostage as they decide where to put their talents to use and that scares them (owners). They recognize how important it is to keep a big ticket attraction from leaving which further proves why we should support the players because even the owners acknowledge they are the real reason fans buy tickets.

I look at it this way. Nobody comes to watch the owners play basketball they come to watch the players. Thats why i think the players shouldn’t even be splitting bri they have been giving back i thought in negotiation its both sides negotiating,. if you look at it players went from 57% to 50% owners have gone from 43% to 50% and they (owners) say they’re making concessions give me a break. yeah you furnish the arenas but i could always watch nba basketball at home. i don’t go to a basketball game for a cool arena i go to watch my favorite teams play basketball. i would rather have an 82 game season all players healthy, injuries healed. Normal schedule. then to have a crammed injury susceptible season.

Matthew,
You have a good point, why should the owners get any money at all. Nobody wants to watch them play basketball. I guess the players should get all of the money and make up all the rules themselves… in fact, maybe they could pay themselves too. They could own the teams. Hey, isn’t that what Michael Jordan did?

It would be awesome for the players to start their own league. Cut out the “Man” from the system. Everyone wins. Owners can’t stop crying about losing money on a business nobody told them to buy in the first place and players can get back to playing for almost next to nothing. OR both sides could stop being greedy and come to a “mutually” fair deal where both sides get wealthy… then I woke from that beautiful dream I was having. Owners need players and players need owners… why is it so hard to find “middle ground.”

As a die-hard NHL fan i feel badly for you guys, and i know where your coming from. If the 2004-2005 lockout of the nhl taught us anything its that the players are not going to get a better deal proposal than they will get right now. As soon as the season is canceled for good the owners have the upper hand. they could sit back for 2 or 3 seasons and wait if they wanted to, players will start getting antsy as soon as NEXT year starts rolling around, eager to make a deal, not willing to sit for another season they will take a less stellar offer than the one proposed at this very moment. These owners are WEALTHY people, not RICH people like shaq or kobe or lebron, they can afford the lockout. bottom line.

Just like anywhere else, the workers work for the owners. Why should the worker get an even share, he wouldnt have a job for the owner. No-one, not even the future players are going to be crying broke like many of us citizens therefore the players are without merit here and should get back to work before they permanently put themselves out of a job.. I am already considering boycotting the season if they return just for GP.

It’s not about getting half or more than the owners, it’s about what is fair and professional sports is not working for Ronald McDonald. These guys face multiple surgeries and rehab throughout their career sacrificing their bodies doing what most of couldn’t even make it through half a month of. Try telling those european soccer players they make too much money and need to give some back. owners “own” stuff which is true but if they have a hard time making a buck then fire some people. cut some overhead. get rid of your half time dancers. stop with the fireworks and pyrotechniks. OR sell your team to a person who knows how to build a franchise through good draft picks and team management. an agreement takes two sides and if we continue to let the strong bully the weak then i’d rather the NBA die a quick death.

Hey mathew, you seem to have a leg up over all the 22 owners that lost money over the past few year. You should send them your resume and so that you can not only be the owner but the president and GM as well. Come on people how in the world can you think that it is ok for a PLAYER/ EMPLOYEE want to make more if not the same as the owners whom are taking all the risks in this business. Look at players like Joe Johnson and Eddy Curry who made/ are making millions and under achieving. Look at players like Hedo Tukuglu whom took the raptors for 50+ million dollars months after having a steller finals run. No one can tell me players should make as much as owners. They have NOTHING to lose and MILLIONS to gain….

Sinead you are right in saying “THOSE IN NEED DON’T UNDERSTAND YOUR GREED.” I’M SURE THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE PLAYERS AND THEIR UNION. THE NBA WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER LEAGUE IF THERE WERE NO UNION HOLDING THE TEAM OWNERS’ FEET TO THE FIRE;WHERE THE OWNERS WOULD SHAFT AND UNDERPAY THE PLAYERS WITH IMPUNITY.

Maybe someone can answer an honest question: If the exception isn’t for teams over the cap( taxpayers),why is it called an exception? Isn’t it an EXCEPTION of the cap? please someone explain this to me.

Reggie, better yet, ask Lebron what happens to his bank account when the arena is shut. It works both ways Reggie, but you’re really only seeing one way. I used to be a pretty damn good chef, and likewise had this attitude…”people come here to eat what I create, so give me more of a portion of your profit, even if it is rightfully yours.” Then the doors closed, and no one was coming to my house to purchase my creations, and I didn’t have the cash or time or madness to become an owner.

“Ask Dan Gilbert what happened to his income when Lebron left”, is what you say, but also say “What happens to Lebron if Dan Gilbert didn’t buy a franchise, build an arena, and gamble that he would make the profit necessary to pay Lebron.” Not just Dan Gilbert, all of them.

Really, the the players are going to leave this up to the NLRB and the FedGov? Look around you Reggie, how’s that “The Fed Gov will take care of it all” working out for anyone?

I have to agree with the “Players are delusional” poster….John “NBA” Galt is about to Shrug. Probably would be less interested in a league and franchises run by the likes of Kevin Garnett. He’s best banging his head against a post and throwing elbows.

Thats funny. Laughable that you even can compare being a part of union that has a CBA which ends with “agreement” dealing with a league of owners to your chef job at Sizzlers… some fights are worth fighting.

There should be no one blaming the players for this sh$t, owners haven’t done anything to satisfy atleast SOME of the players requests. Owners are gaining everything from this, people on here are still complaining that the players get too much money, their not accepting this deal because of teh system issues! They’ve already given millions to the owners, the player have been making the moves. And dudes on here are still gonna bitch about the players being responsible for the lost season.

As much as I’d hate to see a lost season, it’s completely necessary right now, the owners are delusional if they think ALL 30 teams are gonna be able to compete for a chip every season. Awww I’m so f’in madd at the owners, this is some…….I CANT EVEN SAY ON HERE.

Lets hope during the 45-60 day period that the owners stop being uncompromising idiots and make a deal…………….

I think that the league and the players should think about the games first, not the money. You guys made enough $$$, more than enough. Think about lot of fans out there can’t effort a ticket to see a game live, they love. I’m a basketball fan and I watched almost every night during basketball seasons. But this season I think that my family and I turn to foofball and soccer. I hope they (the NBA and NBAP) should lockout the whole season and think it over. With the scheduled we have, the games are not worth to pay. Regardless what happen this season, the league and the players lost many fans.

CONTRACTION!!!!! really, i love all the nba teams. but personally i can do without the kings, pacers, raptors, bobcats, t-wolves, etc. the hornets are one of my faves, but they can get the boot too if we can get back to ballin.

I ain’t picking a good guy and a bad guy here. I’m just saying I’m up here in Maine, staring 5 months of winter in the eyes, with no NBA. You tend to get darkly wacky come March, even with the NBA available. I’m crapping myself already.

Players may ask, “How much money do these greedy owner bastards need?” But do they ever ask themselves, “How much money do I need really?” Come on folks. Owners pay for their arenas (when the taxpayer isn’t). They pay to heat and cool the arenas. they pay to maintain their arenas. They pay for all the people to build, heat, cool, and maintain their arenas. They pay the players. They cloth the players. They feed the players. They transport the players. They house the players in town after town. They pay insurance, and fees, and fines, and regulations of all kinds of forms most of us would care not even know about for fear of going into a coma. Owners didn’t get in this business to kinda like just break even, and see to it that 100,000’s of other people have jobs. There’s a real problem with the mind of this nation, and how it thinks about “owners”. Without a profit involved, what the hell would a man do all the above for?

Like I said, I’m not picking a good guy and a bad guy here. All I’m asking is every time an NBA player asks, “How much money do these greedy owners need?”, immediately follow that with, “How much do I need?”

Michael Gallucci has a point. I am sure some owners can use “creative accounting” but the bottom line is this is not simply a matter of saying that the players draw the fans and therefore deserve the lion’s share. The owners do have a host of expenses over and above the salaries for the players and it is a business. Especially in the US (I am Dutch) it should be understood that the owners invest hundreds of millions of dollars to see a good return on investment.

It has to make sense for both sides. Whether a player makes 5 or 6 million (just an example) he still has a good income, but that extra 20% across the board (I know some guys make considerably more) may be the difference in turning a profit or losing money for an owner.

Remarks from some about replacing these players with guys that will take less make little sense to me. I prefer to pay $100 a ticket to see Bryant & co and Le Bron & co duke it out over paying $20 to see two no name teams play.

When Toronto won back to back World Series titles they Jays were setting attendance records several years in a row. After the strike many fans never came back. Hockey had similar experiences in some markets. A prolonged strike will hurt both sides and all those that depend on the games to make modest livings. What percentage of the fans will come back after that remains to be seen.

I knew the deal was too good to be true, but I have to admit as a fan that a 72 game season sounds enticing.

I totally agree with Chuck here, if the players do no accept the new 50/50 deal, and the owners go back to 47%, as Chuck stated, “they are going to have to cancel the season if he was still a player and they offered him 47% BRI”. I also agree with the rest of the guys. Players make the game what it is and play a larger part in making the game more profitable than the owners, and so the players should get more than the owners. No ifs and s or buts here!

For the owners to get as much as a player means the owner would have to make a profit. Right now 22 of 30 are not making a profit. I don’t know of any players going in the hole playing for the NBA? Does anybody?

But the owners (or the vast majority of them) aren’t making a profit… if they were, we likely wouldn’t be at this crossroads. The owners obviously were making a profit before the last CBA and that was why the players did get such a big share but the last CBA was before the recession bit…. you have to live within your mewans in these tough economic times – I have been out of work for 14 months out of the last 3 years and you cut your cloth to suit… these multi millionaire players must simply do the same until this thing turns around..

With that “D-League clause” the NBA and team owners really showed their hand .. They don’t seem to want a deal, and appear to be bend on extending the lock-out to squeeze the players even harder and have them later accept more concessions and a totally redesigned system..

They’re a shrewd bunch as well.. Waving 72 games in the fans faces and be all like “Its up to the players now, let’s get this season started, we’re good to go!”, and then include such petty BS as these D-League shenanigans and further restrictions on MLE.. Its pretty clear that this is unacceptable to the players and you can’t really blame them..

(If you’ve worked as hard as to earn an NBA contract, you deserve that recognition and you shouldn’t have to fear getting sticked in the D-League at 1/6th pay like there’s no tomorrow!)

The players reject this deal, everybody will be more frustrated, the next offer is nowhere near a reasonable proposal (going from 57 to 47% BRI? come on..), and there will be pretty much no end in sight..

No..that D league clause is for the players whom the team overspent that sit in the 11th and 12th spots on the bench. Instead of paying them 12 million that year they send them down…the player controls his own destiny really….they either spend the season in D league or find the game that landed that mulit-million dollar contract.

I’m with you! That D league clause is for just that, a guy that is on the end of the bench not living up to their potencial. Like you said the player controls his own destiny. You can bet they’re not gonna send someone to the D league if they’re ballin’.

I am about ready to concede defeat. For awhile there was hope from the TALKING, but it’s just talk and no action which means absolutely nothing.

It would not only be bad for the fans watching 4 games a week (though, personally I would love that), it’s mainly the danger to the players who will get injured and permanently ruin their careers.

It all sucks. Why didn’t they have these arguments during the off-season? That’s what I want to know. They certainly didn’t plan to have to wait till the very last minute, and now everyone is going to suffer.

OK, after the players receive their paychecks, will someone please ask each player to send $2000 to their local food pantry to help feed the hungry of this nation? And, send another $1000 each to their local housing authority to help orprovide housing for those finding themselves homeless? And $5000 each to the local Homeless Shelter to help them house the many, many, many people having to avail themselves of the limited services available. AND, will someone ask the owners of each franchise to ante up $10,000 eacxh to a food bank, homeless shelter or otehr agency serving the REAL people of this country? And make that request from each group an annual one, ok?
Those in NEED don’t understand your GREED. YOUR greed feeds that same feeling about $$$ vs. integrity in the kids who look(ed?) up to you as role models. It ain’t all about bucks fellas…and we fans are tired of your game playing about $$$. Even if a shortened season does begin, a lot of us won’t be buying tickets…they’re all overpriced anyway…no matter how much we’d like to watch our favorite teams. Shame on you, all of you! You are sending the worst message possible in these sad economic times.

Well said Sinead…. these guys just don’t live in the real world…. My family was visiting Orlando (from Ireland) over Halloween and my son loves Basketball but we were unable to get a game in thanks to this senseless strike… I feel so sorry for those players that only earn the minimum salary (yeah right!! It would take me 20 years to earn their minimum). The NBA, no matter what happens now is losing more and more fans every day. Both sides are at fault but it’s 57% to 43% the players fault!! I hate to tell you over priced clowns, but not one of you (including LeBron & Kobe) match up to Bird, Magic or Jordan. Get on the court while there is still a court for you to get on you greedy so and so’s.

That’s beside the point. Yes, we should all donate to charity, and it would seem they are being greedy. But that is besides the point. They are fighting for their rights. It’s just a natural part of life that some earan more than others, and you don’t even understand how much work and effort they have gone into to get into the NBA. It’s not all natural talent, and the fatigue one gets from playing is immense. Yes they live a good life but you have to see it from their perspective. What you are saying cannot be just implicated on NBA players but in a sense everyone who fights for higher pay. Your point is valid but it has no meaning whatsoever to this situation. The laws being imposed upon them are ridiculous. In fact, the whole situation has been ridiculous, the signs have been pointing to decertification for ages. The union should have provided some sort of ultimatum themselves and then proceeded to decertification if it their proposal was rejected. Hopefully something comes out because the projected income could be wrong as fans leave the NBA. All we can do is wait and hope.

Bravo! It’s just a bunch of rich trying to get richer! Send some of this money to the underprivelaged in other countries who have not eaten for a while. We are truly blessed by living in this country and it is despicable to see the spoiled players and owners acting the way they are. It is like watching Wheel of Fortune…you always wonder why that person took that extra spin and then you realize, it was greed. Well, not agreeing next week would be like taking that spin…but they can spin the wheel…I think the odds would be against them if they did…and will hit the BANKRUPT!

Okay seriously what country, no wait, what planet do you live on where you expect people to automatically give because they make a lot of money? I don’t agree with either side bargaining over billions of dollars when they are all already rich compared to the average American, but this whole ordeal is part of a business and these things happen.

How much of your paycheck do you donate to charity? How much should every American, not just these players donate? It’s stupid to impose charity on people, because then it wouldn’t be charity! I do know for a fact that many of these players do give back to their communities. You may not always see it on the news but that’s because they aren’t doing it for publicity. Also, most of these players come from harsh backgrounds where someone should have given them the kind of charity that you are mentioning, but instead they worked hard and earned the right to play in the NBA. Now people like you want them to give back! It’s their money, their time and they can decide what they want to fight for. Stop being spoiled and expecting them to entertain you just because it has been so for all these years.

YOU ARE RIGHT, SINEAD;HOWEVER, IT IS STILL THE FANS WHO MUST STOP “PAYING RANSOM TO KIDNAPPERS”
BY TURNING AWAY IN EVEN LARGER NUMBERS FROM THE NBA TO MAKE A STRONG STATEMENT OF
PROTEST AGAINST THE PLAYERS’ GREED!PERSECUTE THE PLAYERS(BY LOWBALLING THEM TO DEATH AND
UNDERPAYING THEM)IN FAVOR OF THE FANS!

It’s scary and sad the road this is now heading down. If the players take the league to court, someone is going to learn the biggest lesson in the history of pro sports. And I will bet it won’t be a group of billionaire business men. Players, prepare for a life-changing event. This is not a game you can win. You are each flushing millions and millions of dollars down the drain. Say goodbye to money you will never again see in your lifetime. The agents have nothing to lose compared to you and they are leading you to slaughter.

I agree! The agents are gonna lead them down a very lonely road trying to get a couple percentage points. The whole idea of these talks is to try and get the best deal you can, not to try and pressure the owners into doing something that is gonna make THEM lose money. The players got over with the last contract and the owners saw they couldn’t make any money with that agreement. Now they’re not going to agree to lose money for 10 more years. So the union is supposed to lick their wounds, take the best offer they can get and get their players back to work. At this point, they’re fighting a losing battle.

So true. To be honest, I can’t believe owners agreed to 57-43 split in the last CBA. It must have happened before any recession. Players need to understand there is this thing called economy and it currently does not allow business owners to spend money like there’s no tomorrow. You players can ask for more if the economy is back in shape, or the NBA is runned by the government.

that sounds like a good idea to me!! id take 50,000 to play over my current job any day and i make more than that now. But to play a game i love id play for a roof and food! to bad everyone wouldnt do that!!

How about an NBA reality tv show to find new players for teams loll n they need to sign a contract under a 47/53 cba with a cap loll mind U it would take a year to get 5 players but we have a year to burn anyway maybe 2 if the greedy agents whispering in player ears have their way.

A 72-game season is a bad idea anyway (for the fans). That is too many games to squeeze into 18 weeks (an average of 4 games per week, every week). Even the most zealous NBA fan isn’t going to attend that many games each and every week. And the players are going to suffer from fatigue and jet lag, resulting in poor basketball. I pay too much for tickets to see poor basketball.

THE FANS SHOULD BE TURNING AWAY IN DROVES FROM THE NBA IF THE LOCKOUT LASTS BEYOND CHRISTMAS 2011 AND INTO CALENDAR YEAR 2012! HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL OFFER FANS
ONE ADVANTAGE OVER THE NBA-HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYERS WILL NOT WALK OFF
THE HARDWOOD DURING A GAME!

So Sekou, Ready for the sides to start “TALKING” again??? They seem to be doing a lot of that. Talking talking and talking. Oh look!! Their going to start talking again. OOOO they talked for 16 hours. YAY!

Ahhh shut up! Tired of all this talking. Get to do some doing. Talk talk talk. Everyone get so excited when they start TALKING again. Get excited when a deal gets done. Talking means nothing at this point. Just another excuse for them to but heads over some % and the SYSTEM. Big scary system keep me from balling 😦 😦 😦

Thanks Sekou for covering these TALKS so viciously in the HT blog. I know it must be exhausting to tell us over and over they are going to TALK some more.

Attention NBA Players:
Go ahead and reject the offer. No Season – No Fans. The future players you say you are fighting for….they won’t have one because this is going to hurt the NBA for many many years to come. You guys are shooting yourselves in the foot. If you take the offer now – salvage some support from the fans, restructure your union leaders and then later fight for what you want. Be smart! Play first…..

If you are a fan, why are you not blaming the hell out of the owners and instead saying the players have done something wrong? This is a lockout, not a strike, so get that straight. It has been a one direction push from the owners, this deal is worse for the players compared to the previous one in every aspect possible. I would like to think the players are allowed to push back a little.

I wish they would not take the deal and decertify. This way, NBA can have a complete system over haul. Although it will sacrifice one season, but it might eliminate the salery cap system. I suffer to see teams can’t sign a player not because of economics but due to the cap, and I suffer year after year. A federal law suit might end my suffering. Face it, the MLB and european football clubs do not have caps, they have been in business for centuries. Maybe the NBA should take a lesson from those system that actually work, and are sustainable.

Then all the good players will be hogged by LA, Miami, NY, and Chicago. The small cap teams will have no chance to sign anyone. By the time of the next negotiation, there will be another new system and another lockout.

So if the 30 largest city in US has teams, those two cities shouldn’t even own a NBA team. But nevertheless, I would think those two small market teams qualify under Adam Silver’s philosophy that all 30 teams can compete for a championship.

Big cities should have an advantage, that is just life and is true in any profession. But New York just counter proved that big spender = contender.